Visio Import & Export

Diagrammix supports importing and exporting Microsoft Visio files (.vsdx), enabling round-trip workflows with Visio users.

Note: Visio import and export are PRO features.

Overview

Microsoft Visio uses the .vsdx format (Office Open XML) for its diagrams. Diagrammix can read and write this format, allowing you to collaborate with Visio users or migrate existing Visio diagrams to your Mac workflow.

Importing Visio Files

How to Import

  1. Go to File → Import Visio File...
  2. Select a .vsdx (or macro-enabled .vsdm) file
  3. Diagrammix converts it and opens it as a new document

What Gets Imported

  • Shapes — rectangles, ellipses, custom shapes, and stencil symbols
  • Connectors — lines and routing between shapes
  • Styles — fill colors, stroke styles, and text formatting
  • Text — labels, paragraphs, and text blocks
  • Groups — grouped shapes are preserved as Diagrammix groups
  • Pages — each Visio page becomes a tab (page) in the document, keeping its name

After Import

  • Review the imported diagram for any visual differences
  • Adjust connector routing if needed — Diagrammix uses its own smart routing engine
  • Check text formatting, as some Visio-specific fonts may not be available on macOS

Exporting to Visio

How to Export

  1. Go to File → Export to Visio...
  2. Choose a save location and file name
  3. Click Save to create the .vsdx file

What Gets Exported

  • The current tab only — export each tab separately if your document has several
  • Shapes, connectors, and text, with fill and stroke styles
  • If the tab has artboards, each artboard becomes a separate Visio page

Round-Trip Workflow

A common workflow is to receive a Visio file, edit it in Diagrammix, and export it back:

  1. Import the .vsdx file
  2. Edit using Diagrammix's tools — add shapes, reroute connectors, restyle elements
  3. Export back to .vsdx for your colleagues

Tips for Fidelity

  • Stick to standard shapes and fonts for best compatibility
  • Avoid Diagrammix-specific features (like notation symbols) if the file will be re-opened in Visio
  • Test the exported file in Visio to verify appearance

Compatibility Notes

  • Supported formats: Visio 2013 and later (.vsdx, and .vsdm for import — Office Open XML)
  • Not supported: Legacy .vsd format (Visio 2010 and earlier binary format)
  • Macros: VBA macros and Visio-specific scripting are not preserved
  • Stencils: Custom Visio stencils (.vssx) are not imported separately — shapes from stencils within the .vsdx file are converted
  • Export — Export to PNG, JPEG, SVG, and more
  • SVG Support — Import and export SVG files
  • Legacy Import — Import diagrams from earlier Diagrammix versions